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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28148142">White Flag</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GILDED_MOMENTS/pseuds/GILDED_MOMENTS'>GILDED_MOMENTS</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Chasing Starlight [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Boys (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anger, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Jealousy, Restraints, Spitefic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:40:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28148142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GILDED_MOMENTS/pseuds/GILDED_MOMENTS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during the events of Translucent's memorial service during 2x01. John reflects on Starlight's transgressions and how it affects The Seven and why he can't do anything about it. It burns him alive to know that she is walking around free as a bird because of a promise he made to a friend. He won't make things easy on her though. As far as he is concerned, she has turned her back on family and will sell them all out at any moment. And what is the big deal about that Hughie Campbell kid anyway? </p>
<p>The first part of a series.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hughie Campbell &amp; Starlight | Annie January, The Homelander | John/Queen Maeve, The Homelander | John/Starlight | Annie January</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Chasing Starlight [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2062050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>White Flag</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is just the beginning of a short series of a series set during the events of Season Two of Amazon’s The Boys. These are not the characters I am just playing with them. There will be some obvious canon deviation of course. This is an attempt at a slow burn Starlander pairing as I see it fitting into my own version of the show. It is not a canon ship obviously but the first episode gave me vibes and I wanted to write this since watching that first episode of the season, just roll with it guys.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>John hated these fucking things, the flashing cameras in his face while people expected him to smile but somehow be contrite at the same time. It happened every time another fucking hero died and he was asked to give a speech at the memorial except this time it was one of their own, The Seven. Specifically Translucent. His face hurt as he tried to maintain the plastic smile for his fallen “comrade”. Translucent was a fucking loser and a pervert. About as useful as a fucking drone but he was the first invisible supe that came across John’s desk when he was picking for the team and he was advised not to pass the prick up. So he did and since that day, Translucent had been a pain in his ass. </p>
<p>From the day he noticed that the supe was missing, there had been an overall sense of peace for John. It was nice not to hear the clumsy supe creeping around the halls of Vought Tower anymore. Even Black Noir had been more covert than Translucent had sometimes Noir managed to sneak up on John when the sentry was distracted with something else at hand. Translucent never managed to do that. His invisibility was the only thing he had going for him. His footfalls were too heavy for anyone who had heightened senses or reflexes of any kind. </p>
<p>Sure they might fool the rest of The Seven, the speedster, or the titan for example had alarmingly average senses. Subsequently, they never had the ability to sense when Translucent was in the room with them, waiting and watching. Usually using his powers to do something as base and perverse as hanging around the bathroom when the women came in to adjust their uniforms or when the supes had guests in one of the lounges and thought that they were alone and he could get away with a free live show. Indeed, Translucent was a huge fucking voyeur and pervert at the end of the day who didn’t care about what his teammates wanted or their comfort. </p>
<p>He was thankful for the screen that played his written speech, carefully planned out by the PR guys at Vought in front of him. He had enough on his mind lately without actually trying to dredge up any shit to say about the dead hero. It made the service easy to get through. Now, as he linked hands with Starlight’s smaller one and they walked among the crying idiots all he had to do was keep his face on for the crowd and pretend that they could tolerate each other for the duration that they were on camera. Simple enough right? </p>
<p>Except for the smell of her floral perfume was nauseating and she kept stopping to talk to reporters. God, why did she want to entertain these mud people so much? She was such a people pleaser, wasn’t she? He forced down the bile that rose in the back of his throat as he listened to the shit she peddled to the press.</p>
<p>Awwh, yes how cute. They were a family. One big happy family and he was a wonderful leader who kept them all grounded. He squeezed her to his side with a big smile at that, partially out of spite and partially to sell the illusion she was selling to the people. Her soft body not quite yielding against his side completely, imperceptible to the viewers but he knew that she was resisting slightly to his iron grip. She wasn’t buying the act anymore from him than he was from her. They did not trust each other. No matter what peace treaty Maeve was keeping between the two of them so she could go and fuck her little rat. </p>
<p>He still detested Maeve for keeping him from his pound of flesh. The sheer idea that Starlight was allowed to date the man who killed one of their own (no matter how much he hated the man) and visits him on a regular basis was disgusting to him. Her allegiance was clearly not with The Seven and yet John was the only person who seemed to give a single fuck about that little fact. Everyone else was too wrapped up in their own problems to notice that she was wrapped around Hughie’s little fingers that she would be their trojan horse before long. </p>
<p>He didn't understand it either. How did someone as talented and promising as that fall in love with a silly fucking kid like Hughie Campbell? A mortal boy bent on revenge against a company that could crush him at any moment they so desired because he couldn't understand that supes sometimes had a little thing known as casualties? It wasn't Vought's fault his girlfriend got in A-Train's way. But the kid wasted everyone's time trying to squeeze them for apologies and demands like he was someone special. The kid was whiney and annoying. And physically he didn't really amount to much at all. What the fuck was in her head that she was attracted to that? </p>
<p>But Maeve had cornered him in his suite the night he threatened to make her pay for Hughie's crimes and placated him with pretty words and soft lips insisting that everything was going to be okay. He knew that between the iron grip she had in his blonde locks and the soft kisses on his neck her words were both a plea and a threat. Their relationship these days was something of a push and pull. They weren’t dating anymore. Those days were long gone. But John still trusted and respected Maeve more than anyone else on the team. He also knew that she had information about him that he didn’t want to get out. </p>
<p>The sort of information that could hurt his ego. So he was at her mercy for a while. Forced to play her little games until she grew tired of this back and forth game that they played every now and again. The only bright side was that she sometimes chose to play below the belt, right where he was weakest. He would become putty in her strong hands when it counted. And it was thanks to this little arrangement that the golden-haired newcomer was currently safe and sound. </p>
<p>He could see the end of the rolled out press carpet nearing as he and the smaller blonde supe pressed through the cameras and the interviews. Thank god. He was ready to be done with this madness and return to the tower for a bit of peace and quiet for the evening. Beside him, he could practically hear Starlight’s heart beating through her chest as she fielded questions about her personal life. </p>
<p>Ha! How did she spend her time mourning at the Tower? That was a laugh. She didn’t mourn the death of Translucent one bit. He also doubted that she spent much time at The Tower these days. Not that John would know, he had spent a considerable amount of time away from the place himself lately to spend with his new family. But at least he had a good excuse. An excuse that didn’t mean compromising the family he already had, his superfamily that he had selected all by hand. <br/>After the last reporter was ushered out of their way, so that Starlight could be ushered into a company car, John pulled her close to him and whispered into her ear. His face held a fake smile that sends the fans and reporters standing by into a frenzy as they observed the pair. </p>
<p>“Go run along to your little playmate now Annie,” his tone was dripping with venom despite the pleasant and almost endearing look on his face. And he could practically hear the way that her heart rate began to beat out of her chest. </p>
<p>“Go fuck yourself.” she ground out in return. She pulled away almost too quickly for the display to be passable. Almost. Thankfully for the two of them, he was a better actor than she was. He chuckled and shook his head. </p>
<p>He really didn’t care where she was going. He doubted she was stupid enough to go to him right after the services for the supe that her beloved so bravely blew up in the line of duty. But then again, who really knew? Someone like that was truly capable of anything. At least in his eyes. He wasn’t planning on going to the tower personally. He had personal affairs to deal with. He flashed her one last smile and waved to the cameras before raising his arms into the arms and blasting off into the sky.</p>
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